Two suspensions handed out

Stasenko gets two games, Girgensons one

Belarus' Nikolai Stasenko will miss the rest of the preliminary round and Latvia's Zemgus Girgensons his team's next game due to suspensions.

The IIHF Disciplinary Panel has issued a two-game suspension to Belarusian defenceman Nikolai Stasenko. Stasenko will miss the final two games of the preliminary round: against Latvia on 19 May and Russia on 20 May.

The suspension stems from an incident late in the game between Belarus and Germany on 17 May. With a second left in the game, a 5-2 win for Belarus, Stasenko hit German forward Yazin Ehliz along the boards in the Belarus zone. Stasenko approaches Ehliz with stick and elbows down, wide stance and knees bent. However, prior to contact Stasenko lunged forward, leaping with both feet off the ice and driving Ehliz with excessive force into the boards and glass, slamming his head against the glass from the high hit.

Stasenko was assessed a five-minute major plus automatic game misconduct penalty. The Disciplinary Panel determined that Stasenko was in violation of rule 540 b) Checking to the Head and Neck Area and endangered the safety of Ehliz. The check was deemed to be careless and reckless on the part of Stasenko and warrants additional disciplinary measures in the form of a two-game suspension.

The IIHF Disciplinary Panel has also issued a one-game suspension to Latvia forward Zemgus Girgensons. Girgensons will miss his team’s next preliminary round game against Belarus on 19 of May.

The suspension stems from a spearing infraction committed during Latvia’s game against Russia on 17 May. With the score 4-1 in favour of the Russians, the teams had a faceoff in the Russian zone close to midway through the second period. Following the puck drop Girgensons battled with Russian forward Alexander Burmistrov for possession. After winning the faceoff, Burmistrov turned to leave the area at which point Girgensons delivered a spear to his opponent.

Girgensons was assessed amajor penalty with an automatic game misconduct on the play. Upon reviewing the play the Disciplinary Panel determined that Girgensons’ violation of rule 538 b) (Spearing), and was a careless, dangerous and a flagrant violation. The Panel agrees that Girgensons is responsible to control his emotions and actions that often lead to these dangerous situations.

Therefore Girgensons was handed a one-game suspension for the next Latvia game of the 2014 IIHF World Ice Hockey Championship; specifically, game 49 to be played on May 19th against Belarus.